


Worried I Imagined You

by LadyoftheMorning



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Band-Aids, Friends to Lovers, Imaginary Friends, M/M, Pre-Canon, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-13 22:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14757089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheMorning/pseuds/LadyoftheMorning
Summary: Shiro has two best friends as a kid. He's just not entirely sure one of them was real.





	1. It's Got to Start Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> This has kind of been writing itself, so we'll see where it ends up.

Shiro’s bored. It’s not easy being eight and having your best friend out of town. He has other friends, but none he’s as close to as Matt. Matt doesn’t think it’s weird that Shiro wants to be an astronaut and president and a rock star one day. Plus, the Holts are all really nice and super smart. Shiro likes them.

What he doesn’t like is when they go out of town for the whole summer. They’re in Italy, visiting Mrs. Holt’s parents. Shiro spent the entire Christmas break visiting his grandparents in Japan, so he understands why it’s a long trip. Understanding doesn’t make it easier though.

Shiro leans forward, watching the ground underneath him spin past. Tire swings aren’t as fun without Matt, he decides. There’s nobody to help him spin the tire as fast as it will go. Plus, Matt says the tire swing is good for learning physics. And they’ll both need that when they’re astronauts. Shiro lets a sigh escape him, sounding far too world weary for an eight year old who has yet to lose all his baby fat.

Shiro glance around the park as he spins. He doesn’t see any kids his age here. They’re all little, like Matt’s baby sister Katie. Except for a few middle schoolers over by the jungle gym. But they won’t play with Shiro. They think he’s a baby too. It looks like he’ll just have to entertain himself today. The tire slowly spins him around again.

Bright little flashes of color catch his eye. Shiro puts his feet down, stopping the swing. A kid is crouched down by the tree line at the edge of the park. His legs are covered in neon colored band-aids, a sure sign of an adventurous kid in Shiro’s opinion. He’s got a stick and seems to be drawing something in the dirt. Perfect. A new friend to make!

Shiro jumps from the tire swing and gallops towards the new kid. The boy glances up at him, looking through his messy dark bangs. For an instant, Shiro is reminded of the stray dog that likes to hang out on the playground at school and accept treats from the kids. At least until the teachers chase it away. Too bad he doesn’t have a snack to share with this kid. He looks like he could use it more than Shiro could anyways.

The boy’s shoulders are tense, but he stubbornly looks down at his drawing. Shiro crouches before him, looking down at the squiqqles. It doesn’t look like much to him, but his mom has always joked Shiro doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body. Shiro’s fine with that. It just means all art is good art, right?

“Whatcha drawin’?”

“…aliens…” The boy mumbles as if scared of his own voice. Shiro doesn’t know what the word timid means, even if he did get an A on his last spelling test. But he knows what aliens are.

“Cool! Have you ever seen an alien?” The boy actually looks up at that, one eyebrow raised, his head slightly tilted to the side.

“No?” He looks down at his drawing as if to check, but then back up at Shiro. “I don’t think so. Have you?” Shiro shakes his head. His bedtime is at eight o’clock. He and Matt once tried to stay up at a sleepover to see if they could spot any UFOs over the Holt house, but Mrs. Holt put a stop to that about nine. He tells the boy this in one breath.

The boy just stares at him.

“Me an’ Matt wanna go to space one day. We’re gonna be astronauts. An’ Matts gonna do all the science. And I’m gonna be a rockstar too! But in outer space so it’ll be even cooler. And only other astronauts can come to my shows. Are you gonna be an astronaut one day? Then you can come to my shows!” Shiro leans forward slightly, eager to hear the response.

The boy blinks, slowly, a bashful smile growing on his face. Shiro decides right then that he likes that smile. This kid is gonna be his other best friend, he can tell.

“Okay.” He looks down at his drawing, adding a few more details to his masterpiece. “The aliens can come too, right?” He looks up to Shiro through his bangs, wary of the answer. Shiro nods excitedly.

“Yeah! That would be even cooler!” He sits back, making himself comfortable. If this kid is gonna be his other best friend, he needs all the details. “I’m gonna do the singing for the band and Matt is gonna do the special effects. We’re gonna teach his baby sister to play piano for me. Do you know how to play any instruments? I think it’s gonna be harder in a space suit. But we’ll just work really hard. And we’ll all get to wear really cool clothes! And travel all over! We’ll bring back really cool stuff and all the scientists will think we’re so awesome. Cause we will be.”

The boy sits silent, the shy little smile still on his face.

“Okay. I could maybe play drums? I always liked drums.” Shiro is over the moon at this answer. He spends the next two hours talking with the kid about space, being a rock star, and the neighborhood they live in. It’s not until his Pokemon watch beeps at him that he realizes it’s almost time for dinner.  
“Oh, I gotta go home for dinner. Can you play again tomorrow?”

“Okay.” The boy has grown less shy over the last few hours. He doesn’t seem in much of a rush to go anywhere, just enjoying Shiro’s excitement about life.

“Perfect…uh…what’s you name by the way?”

“Keith.”

“Hi Keith! I’m Shiro!” He grab’s Keith’s smaller hand, pumping it up and down a few times like he’s seen adults do. “There, now we’re friends, okay?”

“Okay.” Keith’s smile has only gotten bigger now. It makes his whole face light up. Shiro’s grin in return is even bigger. He pushes himself to his feet and starts home.

“See ya tomorrow Keith!” He yells over his shoulder with a wave. This summer just got a lot better.

 

* * *

 

Shiro is chomping at the bit to get all his chores done. Sweeping is his last one for the day and then he’ll be free to go find Keith. His mom laughs from where she’s folding laundry in the living room.

“What got you all excited Takashi?” Shiro finishes sweeping the kitchen and dumps the dustpan into the trash can with a little grunt. He takes pride in a job well done.

“I met a new kid at the park yesterday and we’re gonna play again today!” His mom laughs from the living room. It’s all light and tinkly, like a bell. Shiro loves that sound.

“Alright. Do you want to bring an extra snack to share then?”

“Can I?” Shiro doesn’t even wait for an answer before diving for the pantry. He stuffs two granola bars in his pockets and a capri sun in each flavor. Mixed Berry and Strawberry Kiwi. He’ll let Keith choose first. He pauses briefly to yell a good bye to his mom before sprinting out the door towards the park.

When he gets there, Keith is right where he’d left him. If he wasn’t in a different colored shirt, Shiro would suspect he’d been there all night.

“Hi Keith! I brought snacks today and my mom said I could bring extra to share!” Keith looks up at the sound of his voice, his grin already growing at the sight of Shiro speeding towards him. Shiro drops down onto the grass next to Keith and pulls out two slightly squished granola bars.

“Do you want strawberry kiwi or berry?” He holds out both drinks so Keith can see them clearly. The mixed berry pouch has kids skateboarding on it, while the kid on the other pouch is surfing. Obviously, the design is just as important as the flavor. Keith looks back and forth.

“um….can I have the strawberry kiwi one?” He asks shyly, not even reaching for it.

“Course!” Shiro hands him it before punching his straw into his pouch with gusto. “I like capri suns but my mom usually only lets me have them in my school lunches. In summer I can have ‘em every day though!”

Keith has been examining the straw and pouch. He slowly peels the wrapper from the straw, doing his best to copy Shiro.

“You ever had a capri sun before?” Shiro asks, curious about Keith’s hesitation. Keith shakes his head. “Oh well its easy. You just stick the straw through the top”. He points this out on his own pouch. Keith nods and pokes the straw at his pouch. Shiro giggles. “No, you have to do it harder!”

Keith’s face grows serious and he steadies himself. Stabbing the straw down with all his might, he manages to pierce the top. The only problem is that the straw keeps going and comes out the middle. Keith’s face falls as the juice starts dripping out.

“Oops! I’ve done that before too. They’re kinda tricky. Do you want mine?” He holds out the mixed berry pouch. Keith’s deer in the headlight look is back from yesterday all of a sudden.

“Really? But you said you really like these…”

“Yeah, but I got more at home. It’s okay! You can have this one!” He pushes it into Keith’s hands and takes the broken one. “Besides, I can still drink outta this one!” He pulls the straw out and drinks out of the hole in the side. Keith watches him, wide eyed.

“Wow.” He giggles a little. Shiro doesn’t blame him. He probably looks pretty silly like this. Keith takes a drink from his own, obviously enjoying it. By now, Shiro doesn’t even care that he has to drink out of a broken capri sun pouch. He’s just glad he gets to spend another day with Keith.

 

* * *

 

“Takashi, honey, what has gotten into you? We’re almost done, don’t worry.” Shiro sighs, leaning against his mother’s grocery cart.

“I just wanna go play with Keith! And this line feels really long.” All the carts in front of them seem to be filled to the top. Shiro’s goes grocery shopping with his mom often. He knows this will take years out of his playtime. His mom laughs.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be home soon and then you can go play with your friend.” She ruffles his hair. “When am I gonna meet your new friend anyways, huh? You two always seem to be at the park.” Shiro shrugs.

“Keith says his dad won’t let him play at other people’s house unless he knows ‘em.” Shiro’s mom nods.

“Well, maybe I’ll just have to stop by the park one of these days before you head home and meet Keith. Maybe then he can help me meet his dad so you boys can play at our house too.” Shiro nods. He has legos, and sorry, and Mario kart at his house. It would be lots of fun to play with Keith there.

After what feels like an age, they’re finally loading their groceries into the car. Shiro hops into his seat, buckling himself in. His mom laughs.

“It’s not a race honey! We’ll be home soon, okay?” Shiro smiles at her from his seat.

“I’m just excited to play with Keith! We were gonna be astronauts today and go to Pluto and find aliens.”

“Oh, well that is important. When we get home, you can go straight to the park, alright? I’ll take care of the groceries today.”

“Really mom?? Thanks!! You’re the best!”


	2. What Best Friends are Made Of

“How come you gots so many bandaids all the time?” Keith glanced down at Shiro from the monkey bars.

“My dad says its cause I’m like a monkey. He says I’m always climbing on stuff and doing fancy tricks.”

“You can do fancy tricks? Cool! Like what?” Keith reaches the end of the monkey bars and drops down to the platform next to Shiro. He points at a purple bandaid in the middle of his shin.

“Well, I got this one when I tried to do a flip on my dad’s bed, but I fell off the side and hit the lamp. Dad didn’t like that.” He points to a yellow one at his elbow. “And this one I got cause I was being a ninja and sneaking around the kitchen. I was so sneaky my dad didn’t even see me! But then he opened the cupboard and I accidentally ran into it.”

“Cool.” Shiro has a new sense of admiration for all of Keith’s bandaids now. “I like how they’re all so many colors.” Keith nods, joining Shiro in examining his bandaids of many colors.

“Dad says plain bandaids are boring.” Shiro nods seriously. Keith’s dad is right. Which reminds him.

“My mom says she wants to meet your dad so you can come play at my house sometime. I got lots of legos, so we can build spaceships with them! And play Mario kart too! You ever played Mario kart?” Keith shook his head.

“Dad’s working lots right now. Summer is busy for him. But I can ask him.”

“Great!” Shiro turns back towards the monkey bars. “Do you think I could do them backwards?” Keith nods, obviously believing Shiro can do anything.

Shiro quickly learns he can’t climb monkey bars backwards. Keith still believes in him.

 

* * *

 

It’s raining today. One of those summer rains, where it comes out of nowhere and is very refreshing. Keith and Shiro huddle under the slide to stay dry. Shiro is telling Keith all his best jokes. Keith seems like he'll fall over from all his laughing. Shiro has decided he likes Keith’s laugh just as much as he does his mother’s. Matt never thinks his jokes are this funny.

“What did one snowman say to the other snowman?” Keith wipes at his eye with the palm of his hand.

“What?” He’s a little breathless from all his laughing, but it’s the good kind of breathless.

“Do you smell carrots?” Keith laughs again. It echoes out around the empty park. Everyone else had fled the rain, so it’s just the two of them. Shiro doesn’t care. He kind of wishes the rain would never stop so he could just sit here with Keith and make him laugh.

This is one of his favorite days.

 

* * *

 

 

Keith, Shiro has discovered, is the king of bug hunting. This is of course a very important title to a six year old boy and Keith bears it proudly. He’s already found three pillbugs, a cool hairy green caterpillar, four beetles, an ant hill, and six ladybugs. Shiro is duly impressed. He can’t wait for Matt to get home so he can introduce his two best friends to each other.

 

* * *

 

They’ve squeezed together on the tire swing today, facing opposite directions. Their legs touch, a little sticky from the sweat they’ve earned today. Shiro doesn’t mind. Today’s topic seems to be superheroes. Neither Keith nor Shiro has read any comics or seen many movies. They’re mostly aimed towards the bigger kids. So they’ve decided to make up their own.

“And he’ll have…x-ray vision! So he can see where the bad guys try to hide! Uh…and…he can breathe fire! So the bad guys can’t get too close or else they get turned into s’mores!” Keith giggles at Shiro's description of his made-up hero. 

“They don’t put people in s’mores!”

“Well how do you know? Have you ever had a s’more?”

“Yeah. I’ve had lotsa s’mores. My dad makes ‘em when we go camping.”

“Really?” If he hadn’t been before, Shiro is all ears now. “That’s super cool, Keith! I’ve always wanted to go camping, but my mom doesn’t like it.” Keith pats Shiro’s hand with his.

“Well maybe you can come next time me and my dad go. We usually go in the winter. We go way out to the desert by where my dad grew up.”

“Woah. Really?” Keith nods solemnly. This is no joking matter.

“Yeah. And cause it’s the desert its warm, even though its winter. It still get scold at night though. But my dad lets me sleep in his sleeping bag with him right next to the fire. And we look up at all the stars.” Keith leans back, staring up at the sky as if he can see them now. “And dad teaches me the consellations, like the big dipper and the bears and the uh…the swan…and uh….”

“Wow! That’s so cool Keith! This means when we’re astronauts you’ll know where all the stars are already!” Keith beams proudly. This is high praise indeed.

 

* * *

 

 

Shiro stares at all the notebooks before him. His mom had announced it was time for some back to school shopping that morning. Shiro hopes they can get done quickly so he can hurry to the park to find Keith.

“You teacher said you need three notebooks. Go ahead and choose the three you like best.” His mom has the list printed out and has been crossing everything off as it goes in the cart. Shiro picks out a notebook with Star Wars on it. He loves those movies. Into the cart it goes, followed by another notebook, this time with Captain America on it. His mom let him watch that movie. He liked how Captain America was so nice even when he got big and strong. He wanted to be like that too one day.

His third notebook was a tougher choice. The one on his right had a pretty cool robot on the front. The one on his left was a deep purple. It reminded Shiro of Keith’s eyes. He’d never met anybody else with purple eyes before. He thought it just meant that Keith was secretly gonna grow up to be a superhero. Keith had been very excited when he’d shared this theory of his. He picks the purple notebook and puts it in the cart, between the tissue boxes and his pencils.

“Purple? I didn’t know you liked purple honey.” Shiro nods, holding onto the cart with one hand as they move further down the aisle.

“Yeah. Keith’s eyes are purple! It’s really cool. I think its cause he’s gonna be a superhero one day.” His mom laughs.

“Really? Well you’ve have to let me know when he does become one, okay?” Shiro nods as he skips towards the lunch boxes. His mom said he could get a new one this year. He’s hoping they have one with Captain America on it. Maybe he and Keith will have lunch at the same time. He’ll have to have a cool lunch box to show Keith, just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Keith's dad is my dad. He refuses to buy normal bandaids because they're boring. He also doesn't like it when kids do gymnastics in his house and break furniture.


	3. This is Why We're a Team

“You talk about your mom a lot.” Shiro looks up from their chalk drawings at Keith's quiet sentence. Keith hasn't said much today. He reminds Shiro of the Keith he met at the beginning of the summer, but that's okay. Shiro liked Keith then and he still likes Keith now.

  
“I do? Sor-“ But Keith cuts him off halfway through his apology, hands raised in front of him as if to stop Shiro.

  
“No I don't mind!” He lowers his hands, picking back up his red piece of chalk. He adds a smile to his stick figure Shiro's face. “I don't really have a mom. Dad says she had to go away when I was a baby.” Shiro gives his purple stick figure Keith arms, long enough to hold hands with Keith's Shiro. He sees Keith's shy little smile for a moment. “What's it like? To have a mom?”

  
Shiro sits back on his heels. This is an important question. He feels the weight of it on his small shoulders. He loves his mom, but he doesn't want to make Keith feel bad for not having one in his life.  
“Well…my mom is really nice. She makes me yummy food and tells me jokes. She's taught me most of the ones I know, which my Dad says aren't actually very funny.”

  
“But your jokes are funny!” Keith tilts his head to the side, a habit of his when confused. Shiro grins at him before adding stars around their stick figure portraits.

  
“Thanks! She also tells me bedtime stories. They don't always make sense cause she makes them up, but they're funny. Oh! And she sings! She has a really pretty voice, like a mermaid or something. She has me sing with her at home a lot. She really likes this band called the Beatles.” Keith blinks.

  
“Beetles can't sing.” Shiro nods at Keith's wisdom.

  
“Yeah, I know. It’s a silly name.” Keith obviously agrees. “Um…I guess she always takes care of me. Like if I get sick or have a bad dream. But my dad does that too. Dad always says he and mom are a team. And their job is me!”

  
Keith is focused on their drawing, adding a very creative looking spaceship beside them. His gaze is intense, but Shiro gets the feeling that intensity is for more than just a chalk spaceship. He carefully puts his hand on Keith's shoulder. Keith's shoulders tense, but then relax, as if remembering this hand belongs to Shiro.

  
“I really love my mom and I know she loves me. But it sounds like your dad really loves you. I mean, he gets you fun bandaids, and makes you s’mores, and teaches you how to work the radio, and you said he takes you to the library all the time!” Keith nods, gaze softening just a titch.

  
“Yeah. He tells me he loves me lots.” Keith stops drawing for a moment and sniffs loudly. “I just miss my mom too. I don't really ‘member her, but I kinda ‘member her hugs. They were soft. And I think she had a pretty smile.” Shiro nods, patting Keith's shoulder.

  
“I bet she misses you too Keith. I know I would.” Startled at this, Keith looks up. His eyes shiny with unshed tears. He wipes a hand across his face, leaving a smear of chalk dust behind, like tiny battle stripes.

  
“You would?”

  
“Yeah! You're one of my bestest friends Keith!” Shiro means this as a compliment, but worries it isn't taken that way when Keith starts crying. “Oh! Don't cry Keith! It's okay! I only have two best friends!”

  
Keith shakes his head. His hands leave more chalk dust behind as he swipes at his face again. Shiro reacts the only way he knows how. He pulls Keith in for a hug. A strong, warm one. Rubbing his back, Shiro lays his head against Keith's hair.

  
They stay like that for a while, even after Keith calms down. When even his sniffles seem gone, Shiro pulls back slowly.

  
“You okay Keith?”

  
“Yeah. I just was feeling sad today. I dunno why. “ He sniffles again, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “But you made me feel really happy.” Shiro beams.

  
“Good!” He takes Keith's hand in his and holds tight. “Well, since you only have your dad, I'll help make sure you stay happy okay? Just like how my mom and dad are my team. I can be on your team!” Keith’s shy smile returns at this. It's still Shiro's favorite.

  
“Okay. Do I get to be on your team too?” Shiiro nods. He hasn't even realized yet, how incapable he is of saying no to Keith.

  
“You already are! You make me happy all the time! That's why you one of my bestest friends!” Keith giggles and swipes at his eyes one last time. Shiro giggles back. “You have chalk on your face now. Let's go wash it off at the drinking fountain.” He stands, pulling Keith up behind him.

  
If he's going to be on Keith's team from now on, he's going to take very good care of him.

 

* * *

  
Only three more days until school starts up again which means Matt will get home tomorrow. Shiro is so excited to finally introduce his best friends to each other. He races to the park as soon as his mom lets him leave the house. He doesn't see Keith at the park. He's never beaten him here before. Shiro sits in their spot on the edge of the park, not far from the tire swing. He knows Keith will show up soon.

* * *

  
Keith doesn't show up that day. Or the next.

  
Shiro sits in the grass. He'd reunited with Matt the day before. They'd both raced to the park at their first chance, excited for Matt to meet Keith. Matt had ended up leaving for dinner before Shiro. Keith never came. 

But today is a new day! Shiro is sure Keith will be here today. It's the last day of summer break after all. 

His mother finds him sitting stubbornly in the grass, ten minutes late to dinner. Tear tracks on his face are the only sign of his inner turmoil. He doesn't have words for the hurt in his chest. It's a pain he hasn't felt before. Without words, his mother sits next to him, gathering Shiro into her arms. He clings to her, letting his tears spill safely into the crook of her neck. 

 

 Eventually, it's time to head home. Shiro is no longer looking forward to a new school year. He's just looking for Keith. 


	4. Purple Eyes Aren't Real

Shiro is quiet on the bus the next morning as Matt chatters away about his summer vacation. The rest of the bus is just as noisy, friends catching up with each other after a summer away. Normally Shiro would be in the thick of it all, but today his heart just isn't in it. Just listening to Matt already feels like its taken up all his energy.

  
The closer they get to the elementary school, the more kids Shiro can see. Dozens of kids are taking advantage of their last few moments of summer freedom on the school playground. Even the stray dog is back, surrounded by children happy to give it some much needed attention. Shiro sits up straighter. Keith is six and lives in Shiro's neighborhood. So he should be at school today! Suddenly, Shiro feels much more energetic.

  
The bus pulls to a stop and Shiro races off. First stop is the playground. Just in case. His head swivels as he searches, but he doesn't see the familiar shaggy black hair and lines of bandaids. His shoulders slump. Matt has caught up to him by now. He watches Shiro for a moment in silence.

  
“Maybe he's already in his classroom! Or maybe he's a little late. He wasn't on the bus so his dad is probably driving him.” Shiro has rarely been so grateful for Matt as he is in this moment. The Holts carry a wisdom beyond their years alongside their intelligence. Shiro is glad he has the honor of being Matt's best friend.

  
“Yeah. You're probably right.” He turns and follows Matt and the other children as they stream into the building. Time to find their new classroom. It's time to start a new year.

 

* * *

  
Shiro's never much been one for writing. He does well on his spelling tests and he does all his homework. But he prefers math and science. Even history is a better subject than english. But this is an assignment that comes easily to him. Mrs. Malone had asked all of them to write about their summer vacations and boy did Shiro have stories to tell.

  
It wasn't hard to fill the paper with stories about astronauts and aliens, bandaids and family, even bug hunting and corny jokes. Everything was centered on Keith, because that was what Shiro's summer had been. Centered on Keith.

  
When he finishes writing, he moves on to the next part of the assignment. Draw a picture to go with the essay. Shiro may not be much of an artist, but he knows exactly what to draw. The tree with the tire swing first. Two boys with dark hair standing next to it. One with very purple eyes and stripes of bandaids everywhere. The other a little taller, a little heavier, but with the biggest smile in existence.  
This is work Shiro can be proud of.

  
Next to him, Matt is drawing a picture of what looks like his grandma bathing him in pasta. Shiro isn't quite sure. Matt is almost as bad an artist as Shiro. Before he can ask about the picture, the kid on his other side speaks up.

  
“What's that?” Petey asks, pointing at Keith in all his colorful glory. Shiro beams, happy to have a captive audience for stories of his new best friend.

  
“That's Keith! I met him this summer at the park!” Petey tilts his head, as if looking at the picture from a different angle with help it make more sense.

  
“Why's he all stripey like a tiger? And why'd you give him purple eyes? People can't have purple eyes.” Shiro's heart sinks a little. He can hear himself, his tone more defensive now.

  
“Those aren't stripes. They're baindaids. Keith always had lots of bandaids. And he had purple eyes, so people can too have purple eyes.” Petey still looks skeptical, but the teacher is talking now, so there isn't more time to argue.

* * *

  
Shiro had spent the day looking for Keith everywhere. He wasn't in the cafeteria when Shiro's class was, but not all the classes ate lunch at the same time, so that didn't mean anything. Keith didn't appear on the playground during recess either though. The only ones who weren't there for recess were the half-day kindergartners. Shiro suspected that Keith was too big to be in kindergarten, but maybe he had been wrong.

  
There was no sign of Keith on the bus home, but Shiro didn't give up. There was always tomorrow.

* * *

  
There was no Keith on the bus tomorrow or the day after that either. Shiro was starting to grow desperate. Where had Keith gone?

* * *

  
Day four of the new school year and still no sign of Keith. Shiro picked listlessly at his sandwich, ignoring the chattering children around him. They were still telling stories about their summer vacations. Some were more obviously stretched from the original truth than others.

  
“You didn't meet a pirate Sadie. Pirates are only in story books.”

  
“I did too Connor! He was all big and had tattoos and a fake leg. That means he was a pirate.” Connor silently processes this. His childish logic is leading him to the same conclusion.

  
“Yeah, you met a pirate just like Shiro met an alien this summer.” Petey chimes in, mouth half full of the chicken nuggets the school was serving that day.

  
“You met an alien this summer?!” Suddenly all attention is on Shiro. He looks up from where he's been playing with his ham and cheese.

  
“I didn't meet an alien. I just met Keith.”

  
“Oh. I thought you said he was an alien.”

  
“Nu-uh. Keith was just a kid like us. But when we're big, we're gonna go to outer space and meet aliens.” Matt nods from the other side of Shiro. They'd come up with this plan back when they had met in first grade. Everyone knew Shiro and Matt were destined for space.

  
“Then how come he had purple eyes?” Petey seems insistent that Keith is actually an alien and therefore not real. Shiro frowns.

  
“He had purple eyes? That's so weird!” Sadie exclaims. Several of the other girls at the table express similar ideas. Shiro's frown only frowns.

  
“No its not. Keith was just a regular kid. Eyes can come in all kinds of colors.” As cool as Keith being an alien would be, Shiro holds fast to the fact that Keith was just a kid like him. He didn't want to think about what anything else might mean.

  
“Yeah but not purple. That'd be like having red eyes. Or yellow eyes!” Connor chimes in. Julie derails the conversation by informing them all that her cat has yellow eyes. Things move on from there, but Shiro has even less appetite than he did before.

* * *

  
Time keeps moving, uncaring for the emotional distress of young children. Shiro does his homework and his chores, plays with friends, and starts negotiating with his parents about learning an instrument. They're leaning towards something more classical, like a violin or clarinet. Shiro wants to learn guitar so he can be prepared for his future astronaut rock band.  
His parents say they'll think about it.

* * *

  
Matt comes over one Friday afternoon and the boys take up their old Mario kart rivalry. Shiro hadn't played much over the summer, too busy at the park with Keith. Matt hadn't played much either, but he's still doing better than Shiro, even though he insists on being Luigi.

  
“Who did Keith like to play as?” Matt asks as Shiro is busy avoiding banana peels.

  
“Oh we didn't play Mario kart. His dad wouldn't let him come over so we just played at the park everyday.” Matt nods, accepting this information. Bowser suddenly launches a blue shell at Matt, and the boys are distracted from conversation as they take the game more seriously.

  
As his mother tucks him into bed that night, Shiro raises a thought that's been troubling him since Matt had gone home.

  
“Mom…Keith was real right? Even though you never got to meet him?”

  
“What honey? Why do you ask?” His mom strokes his hair out of his face, comforting him just with her presence.

  
“Some of the kids at school say people can't have purple eyes, but Keith did. They think I just made him up.” His mom ponders this for a bit, taking his concerns seriously. Shiro knows he has the best mom on the planet. Probably even the whole universe.

  
“Well, Takashi honey, I don't know. Eyes come in all kind of colors. Your Uncle Yuuta has eyes that are so dark I thought they were black when I first met him.” Shirk nods. She makes a convincing point. “And even though I never met Keith, that doesn't mean he's not real sweetheart.” She continues stroking his hair, and Shiro finds himself falling asleep feeling a little less confused.

 

* * *

  
The other kids still don't believe him. They point out he has no proof. This is when Shiro realizes he really doesn't. Keith never came over to his house and Shiro doesn't know where his house even was. He was always at the park before Shiro and Shiro always left first. They never took any pictures together or went anywhere other than the park. And nobody else remembers a kid with neon bandaids and purple eyes.

Shiro doesn't even have any mementos from Keith. Sure he has that funny pinecone that looks like a fat little man and the rock with the hole in it, but Shiro found those, not Keith. And Keith had suddenly disappeared with no warning when Matt had gotten back home.

  
Maybe the other kids were right.

  
Maybe Shiro had just made Keith up so he wouldn't be lonely that summer.

  
Afterall, how else could Keith be so perfect. He liked all the same things Shiro did, just like Matt. But unlike Matt, he also thought Shiro's jokes were funny. And when he smiled, it had made Shiro proud. Prouder than making anyone else happy ever did. The more he thought it over, the more worried Shiro got. 

How could someone so perfect actually be real?


	5. Thank God for Fate

Shiro knocks on Iverson's door, announcing his presence. He hears Iverson yell for him to come in, so he does just that. Shiro salutes and stands at attention before his commanding officer's desk.

  
“You wanted to see me sir?” Iverson ruffles amongst the papers on his desk, harrumphing at the mess.

  
“At ease Shirogane.” Shiro falls into parade rest easily. This is his final year as a cadet at the Galaxy Garrison. Just about every rule has been so deeply ingrained in him as to come easily now. “You know senior cadets often act as mentors, correct?” Shiros nods. He'd had one himself his first two years.

  
“Yes sir.” Iverson shuffles some more paper around before pulling out a slim file with an aha!

  
“You've been assigned to mentor a new cadet. He's rough around the edges but shows real promise. He's already beaten some of your records from your first year.” Shiro raises an eyebrow at this. He's pleased to hear it though. Being the Garrison's Golden Boy has been lonely. Everybody was so busy trying to beat him rather than become his friend. At least Matt was here too.

  
Iverson opens the slim file, flipping through the pages. He pulls out one near the end and hands it to Shiro. It has the cadet's schedule on it. The name is in the upper right corner. Kogane, K. Shiro decides to stop by the score board later to see how badly this Cadet Kogane had beaten his records.

  
“Your first meeting is at 1900 hours in study room C. It'll be up to the both of you to arrange future meetings. If you have any questions, you know where to find me. Dismissed cadet.” Job done, Iverson continues to organize the mess of papers on his desk. Shiro salutes before turning to leave.

  
“Oh, and Shirogane?” Shiro pauses at the door, turning to look back at Iverson. “Your request to go home this next weekend was approved.”

  
“Thank you sir.” Iverson nods, focus already back on his desk. Shiro has no idea how he can work with all that mess. Of course, Shiro also prefers electronic copies to hard copies. Easier to organize and keep track of. Plus, fewer paper cuts that way.

  
Shiro steps into the hall, door closing behind him, as he glances down at the schedule again. Typical second year classes, though he seems to be in with the third years for his self-defense class. Shiro folds the paper, tucking it into his pocket as he continues down the hallway. The thought of paper cuts has reminded him he needs to refill the bandaids in his first aid kit. Nothing boring though. He'll have to see if there are any Star Wars ones next time he goes into town.

 

* * *

  
Tem million things are rattling around his head at any given time. The formulas for his advanced theoretical physics class. This week's menu at the cafeteria. His tutoring schedule. His grandfather's declining health. The application form for the Kerberos mission. How to get back at Matt after his latest prank.

  
With everything in his brain, there isn't always much room for actual thinking.

  
On autopilot, Shiro heads to the library at 1850 hours. It won't hurt to be a little early. His tablet is tucked under his arm. He hopes to use this first meeting as more of an ice breaker, before they delve into the nitty gritty of mentoring. He hopes he does this right. He doesn't want to accidentally screw up some kid. Especially one with so much potential. Shiro mentally backtracks at that. He wouldn't want to screw up a kid even if he didn't think they had potential. The point is, he wants this to go well.

  
The library is rarely busy in the evenings outside of finals hell. A few cadets are scattered throughout bent over books at tables, scribbling in notebooks and on tablets. A couple seem to be perusing the shelves, though Shiro knows from the rumor mill what they're building up to. Even at a military school, the unused corners of libraries seem to be the place for clandestine hookups.

  
Shiro grins, but keeps moving. Matt's been pestering him lately about finding an outlet for all his responsibility and stress. Matt means well of course, but nobody here has caught Shiro's eye. Not long enough to lead to anything at least. Too many people treat him as the poster boy of the school, Galaxy Garrison's Golden Boy. It's a title he won't miss when he finally graduates this year. He really just wants to be just Shiro again. 

 

* * *

  
The light is on in study room C. Cadet Kogane must have arrived even earlier than Shiro. That's a good sign, Shiro thinks to himself. He peeks through the small window. The cadet is bent over a textbook, scribbling in the margins next to some schematics. Another good sign. He finishes his note, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. It's pushing regulation length, but Shiro will let it slide for their first meeting. Now seems as good a time as any to get the ball rolling.

  
He opens the door long enough to step inside, letting it _snik_ shut behind him. The cadet looks up, taking the opportunity to subtly stretch after being hunched over his textbook. Shiro understands the urge. Two strides has him standing next to the cadet. Kogane jumps to his feet. Shiro can see the uncertainty on his face of whether or not he should salute.

  
“No need for that, I'm still a cadet too.” He says with a wave of his hand. “I'm assuming you're Cadet Kogane?” Kogane nods, taking Shiro's proffered hand. “Perfect! I've been assigned as your senior mentor. I'm Cadet Takashi Shir-“

  
A light seems to spark in Kogane's eyes. Like a galaxy full of stars, Shiro thinks. Almost as if they're coming alive in that moment. Shiro’s already started losing himself in those eyes. 

  
“Shiro?!” The voice is familiar, but Shiro knows he's never heard it. Familiar in the same way as his looks, as if Shiro's passed him in the hall without noticing. He knows he would have noticed. Cadet Kogane is smaller than Shiro, but even though the uniform, his wiry strength is clear. His mop of inky black hair, curling at the ends around a delicately strong face, is exactly what Shiro knows is his weakness. And those purple eyes. If Shiro was thinking clearly, he'd probably start waxing poetically about them, something about twilight, just as the stars are appearing. Or ameythest pools. Poetry isn't his strong point.

  
Wait, purple eyes!

  
“Keith?!” Some part of Shiro's brain is aware they're both standing there, gaping like fish. Hands are still clasped, frozen in the middle of their greeting. There's maybe a foot of space between them, but it feels too close and too far all at once. “Holy shit, Keith is that you?”

  
Shiro figures his slip of the tongue can be excused this once. It's not everyday you learn your childhood imaginary friend is not actually imaginary.

  
Keith grins, and suddenly his face has light up to match the spark in his eyes. Shiro would know that smile anywhere. It's still one of his favorite sights in the world.

  
“Yeah, Shiro. It's me.”

 

* * *

 

Eventually they'd recovered enough to stop gaping and shaking hands. Shiro had pulled Keith in for a quick hug. Privileges of being a childhood friend and all that. Sitting at the table, all thoughts of mentorship had gone out the window. Filling each other in on the details of lives lived apart for nearly fourteen years is the obvious priority.

  
“My dad's work was pretty spotty back then,” Keith is in the middle of explaining to Shiro. “We usually didn't go out to the desert until closer to Thanksgiving, but something came up that year. I didn't even know about it until I went home that day. The next few days we were so busy packing, I never had time to say goodbye.” Keith’s expression is serious. This obviously still matters to him, even years later.

  
“Yeah. I guess that makes sense. I mean, we were kids. We didn't really have much control over our lives.” Shiro’s elbow is on the table, his chin propped against his hand. He'll deny it to anyone who brings it up, but he's drinking Keith in. A lot of things have changed since Keith was six, for which Shiro is very grateful. He's still on the smaller side, but there’s a strength underneath it that wasn't there all those years ago. A confidence too. Like Keith knows how to handle himself and his strength. He's not the same kid who underestimated a flip and broke a lamp. He knows himself.

  
With the proof in front of him, it seems crazy he ever let himself think he could have imagined someone like Keith.

  
“You won't believe this, but I honestly started thinking you were some imaginary friend I'd created to help me get through the summer.” Shiro chuckles, but Keith just looks confused. He still tilts his head slightly when confused, and Shiro tries to tamp down comparisons of cute baby animals. “You just suddenly disappeared right as school started back up again. Plus, nobody I knew had ever actually met you. I guess I just convinced myself I'd made you up. After all, how could somebody as perfect as you actually have existed?”

  
Shiro clamps his hand over his mouth. He had very much not meant to say that part. He can feel himself going red. Keith blinks at him for a moment before an answering blush dusts his cheeks. He ducks his head, but Shiro catches a glimpse of that same shy smile from years ago.

  
Suddenly, a lot more of his life makes sense.

 

* * *

  
They talk all the way until the warning for curfew, about how things have changed. Keith tells him about losing his dad at age eight and spending the rest of his childhood bouncing through foster homes. In return, Shiro tells him about losing his own parents at fifteen and going to live with his grandfather. It becomes another way they understand each other, a shared trial in their separate lives.

  
By the time they're headed back to the dorms, Shiro can feel the gap between them shrinking. He grins, listening to Keith share some adventure concerning the outdoors and how Keith learned what poison oak actually looked like. It's like a filling a Keith shaped hole in his heart he didn't even know he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reunion scene was bouncing around my head for days, but it was stubborn about coming out.
> 
> I'm thinking one more chapter after this. Maybe two? Debating if I want an epilogue of sorts that's more in the canon timeline.


	6. It's Not Really Goodbye, Just See You Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in bed thinking about how I hadn’t updated this in a while and the next chapter just started coming to me. I have to get up in 6 hours but these boys just couldn't wait. 
> 
> Oh well.

Laying there in the dark, Shiro supposes they’ve always been coming to this point. Keith is securely wrapped in his arms, the two of them cuddled into Shiro’s bed. It’s been a longtime coming, but it was all worth it.

Matt is gone for the weekend, attending some award ceremony for his little sister, so its just the two of them in the room. They’d taken advantage of the privacy, and lying here listening to Keith’s steady breathing, Shiro has absolutely no regrets. He makes a mental note to send Katie a thank you card for winning her award. He doesn’t remember the details of it, but she deserves it. For creating this opportunity if nothing else.  It’s not that Matt isn’t fully supportive of their relationship. You just don’t need your best friend present for some activities.

Shiro has been blown away by Keith’s talent these last few months. He isn’t surprised by the level of Keith’s talent but it’s still breathtaking to watch him in action. In the simulators. In the gym. Out in the desert on Shiro’s hover bike. Keith moves like he was born to. There’s a grace in his movement that Shiro doubts he’ll ever get enough of. Watching Keith spar in the gym is like poetry in motion. Watching him fly is even better.

Despite all this, Keith is still Keith. He still looks at Shiro with those big, violet eyes full of wonder. He still laughs at Shiro’s dumb jokes. He’s still unafraid of challenges, no matter what is put in his path. He still chases the stars and his dreams with every fiber of his being. And Shiro can’t help but love him for it all.

They’ve only been reunited for a little less than a year now. They’ve officially been together for a shorter amount of time than that. But laying here, with his entire universe cradled in his arms, Shiro is convinced they’ve been making there way here since the very first day they met.

Colorful bandaids and all.

* * *

 

Shiro's never been a fan of nervous tics, but that doesn't seem to stop his hand from tapping against his thigh. He's graduating today. He's dreamed about this moment since childhood, or at least what it leads to. After this, he'll become an officer. Not a very high-ranking one of course, not at the start, but an officer none the less. He'll get his own quarters. He'll get to be more involved in teaching the cadets. Best of all, he'll get to leave Earth's atmosphere. He's already been scheduled for a short supply run to the space station on Mars. They leave next month and will be gone for six weeks. Shiro does his best to ignore all the butterflies in his stomach. This is his dream after all.

He scans the crowds on either side of the main stage, the speaker's words going in one ear and out the other. He wishes his family was here to support him. He wishes his grandfather hadn't passed away in January. A bright smile catches his eye and he hones in on Keith. It's like a sixth sense at this point for both of them. Being aware of each other, constantly in one another's orbit. 

He can't find the words to express how grateful he is for Keith. Not just for how he supports Shiro and laughs at his dumb jokes. Not just for his incredible talent that inspires Shiro to do better. Not just for the fact that he held Shiro close when Shiro got the news of his grandfather's passing. Not just because Keith had stood firm by his side at the funeral, hand holding his own tightly. Keith has become his new anchor in many ways as well as his goal in others. 

He feels like a sap for just thinking it, but it's like the line from the Disney movie Matt had shown him years ago. Keith is his new dream. And Shiro is determined this one will come true. 

* * *

 

After the ceremony, Shiro is swept up by the Holts. They've always been like his second family and it has only grown more apparent since his grandfather's passing. Shiro takes a few pictures with them, congratulating Matt in turn. He tunes out Katie's excited chatter about her own plans to join the Garrison, eyes scanning the crowd for a familiar mop of black hair. 

There he is. 

Keith's smile lights up his face. He runs towards Shiro, obviously not giving a damn about anyone else. Shiro catches him with open arms, hokding him close. He buries his nose in Keith's hair. He can smell his own shampoo on Keith and for a moment, it leaves him breathless. The best kind of breathless, where he wonders how he ever got so lucky. 

Keith is real. He's right here in Shiro's arms. And Shiro is never going to lose him again. 

* * *

 

Kerberos. The word is right there in Shiro's inbox. He can hardly keep his hands from shaking as he opens the email. He's made it. 

They choose him. 

Shiro will be the first pilot to reach the edge of their solar system. He will be part of history. This is everything he's ever dreamed of. It's exciting and frightening all at once. Shiro's dreams are coming true, but it means saying goodbye to Keith for an entire year. 

They'll be able to send short messages in the data bursts. A few sentences that Shiro knows won't be seen by only Keith's eyes. It's something, but it's not enough. But _Kerberos_. 

He had told Keoth when he applied for the mission. They'd talked about what ifs, how their future would play out if Shiro was chosen.  Keith had been confident Shiro would be. Curled up together in Shiro's bed late at night, so many things had been possible, right at the edge of their fingertips. None of it was frightening because they had each other, right there. Close enough to feel each other's heartbeats, to feel chests rising and falling with each breath. Them against the universe. 

Nothing's changed in the long run. Shiro is still firmly on Keith's team and vice versa. Even being at opposite ends of a solar system won't change that fact. But Shiro will miss Keith. More than he misses his family in a way. His family is gone. Shiro has accepted the fact that he won't see them again in this lifetime. He's holding out hope there's some kind of next life where he can be reunited with them then. But Keith will still be alive. He'll be here, living and breathing, working towards his own graduation. But Shiro still won't get to see him, to be with him. 

In some ways, that's harder. 

* * *

 

Shiro wishes he had a camera to capture Keith's face when he breaks the news that evening. They're sitting on Shiro's tiny couch, Keith's homework spread out around them while Shiro reviews reports on his tablet. The pride in Keith's eyes mostly covers up his bittersweet acceptance. Homework goes flying as Keith launches himself into Shiro's lap. 

"I knew you would get it!" His voice is muffled by Shiro's shoulder, but Shiro only pulls him closer. "You're the best pilot out there, of course they'd pick you!" Shiro chuckles at the praise, burying a hand in Keoth's hair. 

"Only because you're still a cadet. Otherwise they would have picked you." Keith pulls back to look Shiro in the eye. 

"Well then, I'll just have to make sure I'm ready to be your copilot on the next mission." Shiro's grin rivals the desert sun with its warmth. "Or maybe you'll be my copilot." Keith teases, leaning in for a kiss. Shiro equates kissing Keith with breathing. Necessary for life. They break apart after a short while, but neither goes far. Their foreheads are leaned against each other now. Shiro tucks a strand of wild dark hair behind Keith's ear. His gaze softens. 

"I'm gonna miss you cherry bomb." Keith ducks his head at Shiro's tone, burying his face back in Shiro's shoulder. 

"I'll miss you too. But let's save that conversation for tomorrow. This news deserves celebrating!" Keith pulls back from Shiro, hopping to his feet. "We should go into town. Get celebratory milkshakes at the diner." His grin is bright, all depressing thoughts pushed aside for now. 

Shiro allows himself to be pulled to his feet by his firecracker of a boyfriend. As he follows Keith to the officers's garage, he can't imagine life any other way. How could he have ever thought he imagined someone so vibrant. It doesn't matter how otherworldly his childhood peers thought Keith sounded. Having Keith in his life is more than he ever could have dreamed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm leaving the story here for now. May revisit it in the future to get a glimpse of the canon timeline. Maybe when I'm not so busy with classes. (Why did I ever think summer term was a good idea?) 
> 
> Find me on my multifandom tumblr at [ambigious-ambition](https://ambigious-ambition.tumblr.com)


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